1. The Past Continuous Tense
To show what somebody was doing at
a particular time in the past, we use
the Past Continuous Tense.
2. I was playing badminton
at this time yesterday.
She was cycling
at 9:00am yesterday.
They were playing
table tennis at 6:30 last night.
was / were verb+ing
3. Simon _________ football at 3 pm yesterday.
The children __________ to school
at 8 am yesterday.
Simon 3:00 yesterday
The children 8 am yesterday
was playing
were going
4. Derek
Mandy
Sam & Jess
Derek
was feeding her dog
were having dinner
at 6 am yesterday.
was swimming
at 4 o’clock yesterday.
Mandy
at 8 pm last night.
Sam and Jess
Exercise.
5. We often use
the past continuous and past simple tenses
in the same sentence.
We do this when we want to talk about
a shorter activity that happened
during a longer activity in the past.
6. Sam hurt himself yesterday.
But when exactly?
when jumping over
the vaulting horse
Sam hurt himself when he was jumping over the vaulting horse.
shorter action longer action
7. watch TV
peel an apple
Nancy ___________when
she ___________an apple.
cut herself
arrive
They _______________ TV
when I ___________.
were watching
cut herself
was peeling
arrived
We ____________ football
when it suddenly _______.
play football
rain
were playing
rained
8. A fire broke out
at 8 o’clock last night!
What were the people
doing when the fire
broke out?
9. I was playing TV games while mother was cooking.
We were studying while the baby was crying.
Sometimes we use the past continuous tense
to talk about two or more actions
which were taking place at the same time
in the past.
Example
10. Grandfather was reading the newspaper
Cindy was listening to the Hi-fi
Father was sleeping
grandmother was knitting.
whil
eNicky was drawing a picture.
whil
e
mother was drinking some water.
whil
e
Example
It’s 3:00pm last Sunday. What were they doing?
11. Grandfather ____________TV while grandmother____________.
dy _________ her homework while Nicky ____________to the Hi-
Father ____________ beer while mother ___________ some wate
was watching was knitting
was
doing
was listening
was drinking was boiling
Exercise
What were they doing one hour later?
12. Wanna take a challenge?
Let’s solve a mysterious
crime together!
16. Is she the
murderer?
Yes No
What were you doing at 9 o’clock last night?
I was watching a movie at the cinema
with my friend Maggie at 9 o’clock
last night. I didn’t kill Mr Chan!
watch movie, cinema,
with friend Maggie
17. Is she the
murderer?
Yes No
What were you doing at 9 o’clock last night?
I was visiting my friend Kevin at the hospital
at 9 o’clock last night. I didn’t kill Mr Chan!
visiting my friend,
Kevin, hospital,
18. Is he the
murderer?
Yes No
What were you doing at 9 o’clock last night?
I was taking my dog for a walk at 9 o’clock
last night. I didn’t kill Mr Chan!
taking my dog,
for a walk
19. Is he the
murderer?
Yes No
What were you doing at 9 o’clock last night?
I was playing TV games in my bedroom
at 9 o’clock last night. I didn’t kill Mr Chan!
play TV games,
my bedroom
20. Is he the
murderer?
Yes No
What were you doing at 9 o’clock last night?
I was reading novels in the public library
with my friend Paul at 9 o’clock
last night. I didn’t kill Mr Chan!
reading novels, public
library, with friend Paul
